Golf swing training apparatus



June 13, i967 R. V. FYANES 3,325,168

. GOLF SWING TRAINING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 2, 1964 United States Patent i ce 3,325,168 GOLF SWING TRAINING APPARATUS Robert V. Fyanes, 1411 Lathrop Ave., River Forest, Ill. 60305 Filed Jan. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 335,062 9 Claims. (Cl. 273-186) The present invention relates to a golf training and drive detecting device.

The invention has to do particularly with providing evidence of the exact manner in which a golf club engages the ball in a driving maneuver. Heretofore it has not been possible to determine exactly how the golf club engaged the ball except by a rather inconvenient and relatively expensive operation, namely, by taking motion pictures thereof. In this way one or more of the individual frames woulddoubtless show the actual position of the club relative to the ball at the point of impact. However, it will be readily appreciated that this manner of detecting the desired phenomenon is greatly disadvantageous. The ordinary person does not have the facilities for taking such motion pictures, and even for those who do have such facilities, the operation is extremely expensive and time-consuming. Moreover, even motion pictures may not show the exact relation between the club and ball at impact.

A broad object of the invention is to provide simple means that will readily show the user the exact manner in which the golf club engages the ball in a driving maneuver.

More specifically, the present invention includes means for releasably securing the ball to the club in and as a result yof a -driving maneuver, in the position it was in relative to the club at the moment of impact of the club.

Another object is to provide a device of the foregoing character in which a penetrating needle is mounted on the club, and the golf ball is made of such material as to enable the needle to readily penetrate the ball in the driving operation, and to retain the ball on the needle pursuant thereto and until it is manually removed from the needle by the user.

Another and more specic object is to provide markings on the ball on the front and rear side thereof relative to its position when resting on a tee, in locations on the yball through which the needle on the club would penetrate in a perfect driving maneuver, whereby to enable the user to detect the degree of accuracy with which the club engages the ball. Another and still more specific object it to provide, in conjunction with the golf club and ball of the character referred to above, a tee for supporting the ball, and in which the tee and ball have cooperating interlocking conformation, whereby to position the ball in the desired position relative to the swinging movement of the club in a driving operation.

Still another object is to provi-de a tee of the foregoing character having an aligning device therein, whereby to facilitate positioning of the tee and ball with the indicator markings thereon in fore and aft position relative to the intended direction of driving the ball.

A still further object is to provide `a penetrating needle for use in connection with the ball, as above described, and means for detachably mounting the needle on a regular golf club, whereby to attain the advantages of the invention without the necessity of a specially constructed club. Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a tee set in the ground;

FIG. 2 is a View of the bottom side of the ball of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a View of the rear side of the ball;

3,325,168 Patented June 13, 1967 FIG. 4 is a side view of the penetrating needle used on the club, and its mounting plate shown in section;

FIG. 5 is a perspective View of a golf club head with the penetrating needle of the invention mounted thereon;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but showing a modified form of means for mounting the needle on the golf club head; and

FIG. 7 is a side view of a ball, tee and club, in relative positions they assume just prior to the penetration of the needle into the ball and impact of the club on the ball.

The device of the present invention includes means for securing the ball to the golf club pursuant to and as a result of the engagement of the golf club with the ball. The ball is thus secured to the golf club at the striking face thereof in the exact position it yassumed relative thereto at the time of impact of the club with the ball. In this way the user immediately after swinging and hitting the ball is able to observe the degree of accuracy of the swinging movement of the club. The principal components of the device for carrying out the purposes of the invention include a tee 10, a ball 12, a needle 14 incorporated in a unit identified as a Whole at 16, together with a conventional golf club indicated in its entirety at 18.

Referring in detail to the various components of the device, and in particular to FIG. l, the tee 10 may include a tee proper 20, which in overall shape and configuration may resemble an ordinary tee and may be constructed of wood, for example, and is provided with a top surface 22, preferably concave, for supporting the ball. The top surface 22 is provided with interlocking conformations in the form of grooves or groove elements 24. Preferably these groove elements are constituted by cross grooves lying in diameters of the tee and opening through the peripheral surface thereof. The tee proper 20 is provided with an aligning device which preferably is in the form of a relatively rigid wire 26 frictionally fitted in a diametrical hole in the tee and extending parallel to one of the grooves 24. This wire 26 is substantially longer than the diameter of the tee, and may, for example, be six inches long or more. The purpose of this wire or aligning member 26 is to provide a means for readily positioning the tee relative to the intended direction of drive of the ball, according to a predetermined position of the ball, when properly placed on the tee, as described in detail hereinbelow.

The Iball 12 is provided with interlocking conformations for cooperatively inter-engaging the conformations 24, and in this instance assume the form of cross ribs 28. These ribs may be 4longe-r than the diameter of lthe tee, if desired. The ball is placed on the tee in the manner illustrated in FIG. 7, and hence the surface of the `ball presented in FIG. 2 may be considered the bottom side. In the normal use of the device, the ball will be placed in a predetermined one of four possible positions about a vertical axis.

In order to facilitate detection of the accuracy with which the club engages the ball, the ball is provided with indicator markings 30 and 32 respectively,I which are disposed on diametrically opposite sides of the ball, and in a certain relation to the position of the ball as determined by the inter-fitting engagement of the ribs 28 with the grooves 24. These markings 30 and 32 may be painted or otherwise imprinted on the ball, preferably without changing the otherwise spherical surface of the ball, either by embossment or intaglio. They may be of any desired shape, such as crosses, as indicated herein.

The marking 30 is `on the rear side of the ball, and the marking 32 is on the front side thereof relative to the intended position of the ball on the tee. In the normal swinging movement of the club in a driving operation, the striking face 34 thereof, at the position of impact with the ball, is slightly inclined relative to the vertical, and thereby the ball is `lot'ted in the drive, :rather than being driven horizontally. It is preferred that the striking face engage the ball at a point slightly below the horizontal plane through its center; also, 4the driving thrust is preferably imposed in the direction of a diameter of the ball, and therefore along a line inclined slightly upwardly in a forward direction. This line is indicated at 36 in FIG. 7, the line of flight as viewed in that gure being to the left as indicated by the position of the club. This relationship therefore predetermines the positions of the indicator markings 30 and 32 on the ball, yand the position of the ball on the tee is -determined byt he inter-engagement of the ribs 28 with the grooves 24; the indicator markings 30 and 32 are relatively displaced vertically in the proper position of the ball on the tee, being concentric with the inclined line 36, or the diameter of the ball. This relative displacement of the indicator markings is also shown in FIG. 3, the centers of the markings being respectively 'below and above the horizontal central plane 37. Thus such locations of the indicator markings 30 and 32 predetermine the ydesired position of the ball on the tee about a vertical axis, out of the four possible positions referred to above. The grooves 24 and ribs 28 are relatively shallow so Athat the ball slides oft the tee, when hit, with virtually no rolling or other than sliding action.

The ball 12 may be of any of a wide variety of materials, e.g., cork, plastic material such as styrofoam or other material or combinations of materials; it may be solid or hollow; further, it may be of any desired weight; an advantage may be realized in having a ball of the same weight as a regulation ball in that the user will experience the same feel of the impact, but this is considered not essential to the feature of providing securement of the ball to the club.

The needle 14 may be of such material as steel, and it is mounted in the unit 16 by means of a backing plate 38 which may be of plastic which provides great strength and lightness in weight. The needle 14 may be provided with a head or disc `40 secured in the backing plate 38 in any suitable manner, such as by being fitted in a corresponding recess in the plate, or as by embedding it in the plate in the operation of molding the latter. 'It is considered to be Within the compass of the invention to provide the needle with one or more barbs 41, if that should be found desirable.

The backing plate 38 may be of, for example, rectangular shape as illustrated in FIG. 5. The unit 16, incorporating the needle 14, is detachably mounted on the club 18, whereby to enable the device of the invention to be utilized with a conventional golf club. The unit 16 is so mounted on the club with the backing plate fitted flat to the striking face 34 of the club. The unit may be so secured in position by any of several means, such as a plurality of strands 42 of, for example, rubber, and preferably rubber of great strength and great elastic properties. These strands include certain strands 42a connected with edges or corners of the backing plate 38 by suitable means such as loops, as indicated at 44, these strands encircling the club head in planes generally transverse to the striking face 34. One or more additional strands 42h may be provided, interconnected with the strands 42a for securing the latter strands in the desired position, and otherwise aiding in securing the unit 16 in position. The strands 42h terminate in a collar `46 surounding the portion of the handle of the club adjacent the head. This securing device, including the strands 42, may be slipped over the handle of the club and then the strands spread apart suiciently to pas over the head. It will be understood that the strands 42 and the collar 46 are so dimensioned as to tightly grip the surface of the head for frictionally retaining the unit 16 in position.

The modified form of FIG. 6 indicates another of a variety of means for securing the unit 16 on the club. In this instance, ia member or sock 48 is provided, composed of highly elastic, generally continuous fabric ma-v terial. This sock has an opening or void S0 by means of which it may be slipped over the handle of the club, and the material may be stretched to enable the sock to pass over the head. The sock includes a tubular portion 52 of substantially reduced dimension for engaging the portion of the handle adjacent the head. The sock 48 is `dimensioned so as to grip the club head tightly to frictionally retain the unit 16 in the desired position. The collar portion 52 aids in preventing slipping of the sock downwardly or outwardly over the head. The unit 16 may be secured to the sock by any desired means such, for example, as cementing stitching, etc.

Various other kinds of means may be utilized for mounting the needle on the club, and they need not be of the kinds illustrated. It may be noted Ithat the reaction of the impact is perpendicular, or nearly so, to the face of the club, and any forces in other directions such as may draw on the mounting means, and dislodge it, are quite minor.

In a perfect drive, the club will approach the ball at about the position represented in FIG. 7. In this position, and in the movement of the club toward and into engagement with the ball, the needle will penetrate the ball on or adjacent the diameter of the line 36. The ball will remain on the needle, and the user will be able to determine immediately after completing the swing how nearly perfeet the drive was, by the position of the needle relative to the points at the end of the diameter. To facilitate this detection or determination, it is preferred that the needle be at least slightly longer than the diameter of the ball, so that the point of its emergence from the ball can be readily detected. The ball will retain, or resume, substantially its full sphericity after penetration by the needle, and impact by the club.

The devices of FIGS. 5 and 6 for detachably mounting the unit 16 on the club enable the device to be adapted to an ordinary or regular club, without the necessity of specially constructing the club. Thus an effective and extremely inexpensive device is provided for detection or determination of the accuracy of a drive in a golf training operation.

While the specific club illustrated is a driver, the invention is applicable also to any other club, including all the irons. In fact, an important feature of the invention has to do with the different clubs of which the heads are inclined at different angles relative to the handle. It is not fully known what the exact relation is between the club and the ball in all conditions, and in all positions of the club relative to the ball; for example, in the case of a club. in which the head is greatly angled, such as the No. 9, it is not known whether the striking face of the club is exactly perpendicular to the `direction of movement at the moment of impact, and even if that is true, how near to that relation the condition is just before and just after impact. The present invention will now make it possible to determine this relation by the position of the ball on the needle after the driving movement (or corresponding movement with another club).

The present invention is believed to be even more effective than motion pictures, because of the disadvantage of the latter referred to above; the invention enables a person to determine exactly the relation between the club and ball at the instant of impact. It indicates the direction of movement of the club, and the relation between the inclination of striking face of the club relative to the direction of movement.

While I have herein shown and described a certain preferred form of the invention, it will be understood that changes may Ibe made within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A golf device of the character disclosed, comprising, a ball, a tee for supporting the ball, a club, and a relatively thin needle mounted on the club and extending forwardly from the striking face thereof, said ball b-eing of such material as to be readily penetrable by said needle and to substantially retain its sphericity and to be retained on the needle pursuant to penetration thereby in a normal driving movement of the club, said ball being solid and the needle Vbeing slightly longer than the diameter of the ball.

2. The invention set out in claim 1 wherein the tee and ball have interlocking conformations operative for normally retaining the ball in a predetermined position and preventing rotation of the ball in all directions relative to such position resting on the tee.

3. The invention set out in claim 2 wherein said interlocking conformations comprise groove elements in the tee at an angle to each other, and corresponding rib elements in the ball adapted to t in the groove elements.

4. The invention set out in claim 3 wherein the ball is provided with indicator markings on front and rear sides.

5. The invention set out in claim 4 wherein said ball is secured to said tee by said groove and rib elements and said indicator markings are on a common diameter ofthe ball inclined upwardly in forward direction whereby an inclined striking face of said club striking face can be perpendicularly positioned relative to said common diameter at the time of impact with said ball.

6. The invention set out in claim 5 wherein an aligning element is incorporated in the tee of a length substantially greater Ithan the diameter of the lball and extends forwardly and rearwardly of said indicator markings.

7. The invention set out in claim 1 wherein said needle is incorporated in a unit separate from the club and said unit includes a backing plate in which the needle is, rigidly mounted, and means for detachably mounting the unit on the club with the backing plate fitted dat to the striking face of the club.

3. The invention set out in claim 7 wherein the means for detachably mounting the unit on the club includes a plurality of elastic elements secured to said backing plate and grippingly encompassing the head of the club.

9. The invention set out in in claim 7 wherein the means for detachably mounting the unit on the club includes a member of elastic generally continuous fabric material surrounding and generally covering the head of the club but with an opening for receiving the handle and head of the club, said member including a reduced tubular portion grippingly surrounding a portion of lthe handle adjacent the head, and eiective for retaining the member on the club.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,572,527 2/1926 Goldsworthy 273-199 1,842,944 1/1932 OBrien 273-199 X 2,264,802 12/1941 Kohl 273199 2,461,826 2/ 1949 Krautter 273-20() X 3,081,091 3/1963 Grow 273-199 X RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. DELBERT B. LOWE, Examiner. G. I. MARLO, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A GOLF DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DISCLOSED, COMPRISING, A BALL, A TEE FOR SUPPORTING THE BALL, A CLUB, AND A RELATIVELY THIN NEDDLE MOUNTED ON THE CLUB AND EXTENDING FORWARDLY FROM THE STRIKING FACE THEREOF, SAID BALL BEING OF SUCH MATERIAL AS TO BE READILY PENETRABLE BY SAID NEDDLE AND TO SUBSTANTIALLY RETAIN ITS SPHERICITY AND TO BE RETAINED ON THE NEEDLE PURSUANT TO PENETRATION THEREBY IN A NORMAL DRIVING MOVEMENT OF THE CLUB, SAID BALL BEING SOLID AND THE NEEDLE BEING SLIGHTLY LONGER THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE BALL 